I'm Ready for Purim: How about You?

Mardi Gras pin in place: check

Hamantashen dough all made: check

Green face paint: check

Purim shpiel written, cast, rehearsed: check

There’s a special kind of preparation that goes into Purim. It’s physical, it’s creative, and it’s emotional. Unlike preparing for Pesach, the food prep is pretty manageable. If you’re baking hamantashen and assembling mishloach manot, gifts of food for friends, at least you’re not feeding a six-course meal to the entire mishpocheh (family). Plus you can probably count on getting some sweets in return.

And if you’re in the mood to try something a little different in the hamantashen department, check out these 21^st century options.

If you’d like my own not-so-secret hamantashen recipe, it’s available below.

Unlike preparing for Sukkot, there’s no need for home construction. The physical work, aside from baking, entails putting together a costume. Whether you go to the costume store or the party store or just find something outrageous in the closet. A mask, or even a funny pair of sunglasses can change your appearance.

Unlike preparing for the High Holy Days, you don’t need to examine all your deeds and work on personal transformation. The main emotional work is to sustain joy as much as possible. Laugh often. Tell jokes, Put on a mask. Get silly.

If you need inspiration, check out the “Backward”—the Jewish Daily Forward’s Purim section (Breaking news: Rabbi Rules Water is Non-Kosher).

Need more inspiration? Join us for the reading of the Megillacuddy, our Purim-Patricka celebration on Saturday night, March 15 at 6:30 (don’t be late or you’ll miss St. Patrick’s havdalah appearance!). Come in costume. Bring a plate of hamanatashen to share. Drop some tsedaka in the box for Yad Chessed (there has to be one serious aspect of this holiday!) I hope to see you on Purim. The question is, will you recognize ME?